Get Out – Movie Review

Get Out – R
Release Date: Fri 24 Feb 2017

Writer/director Jordan Peele brings us this horror/comedy about an African-American man going to meet his white girlfriend’s family for the first time. As the movie opens he asks her if she told her parents that he was black. She hasn’t, but reassures him it won’t be an issue.

The crux of Get Out’s premise is built on the awkwardness of what seems like unintentional racism potentially hiding something more sinister. Could it be that the black servants in the household are actually some kind of slaves of the girlfriend’s parents?

The story is well-paced and perfectly utilizes the uncomfortable situation and nagging suspicions to build up to the horror reveal, and the last twenty minutes are astonishingly great. The unfortunate side of Get Out is just how much is ruined by its trailers. If you have not seen the trailer and what you’ve read so far sounds interesting, by all means see this movie and enjoy yourself. For those of us unlucky enough to know so much from the trailer, the movie can seem to move slowly toward a reveal we already know is coming.

Despite this, most of the third act is wonderful and the rest of the movie nags to be re-watched once the true nature of what’s going on is revealed. I’m very impressed with Peele’s writing and directing here and the performances from Daniel Kaluuya (the boyfriend), Allison Williams (the girlfriend), and Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener as her parents are pitch perfect.

Aaron and I saw it in the theater and had a discussion in the car: